Since commencing our Sustainable Penrith program in 1999, we have undertaken a number of key actions including the establishment of our Sustainability Revolving Fund in 2003, a financial mechanism that provides ongoing funding for sustainability projects with savings re-invested back into the fund for additional projects. More recently, we’ve adopted our Cooling the City Strategy which provides strategic actions to adapt to climate change; retrofitted our most inefficient street lights with new efficient LED fittings, and completed the installation of solar PV systems on more than 25 Council facilities.

What council hopes to achieve in the future in energy efficiency, renewable energy or broader sustainability:
In 2015, Council adopted a Sustainability Policy and Strategy to provide clear direction to the organisation to ensure that sustainability remains a key consideration and is effectively built into our operations, activities and decision making processes. At the same time we also adopted corporate emissions reduction and renewable energy targets:

• 10% of council’s electricity supplied from low carbon sources by 2030
• 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 based on 2010-11 levels.

These targets are an important way of continuing to encourage resource efficiency within the organisation and the transition to more sustainable energy efficiency.

Why council joined the Cities Power Partnership:

Participation in the Cities for Power Partnership provides significant opportunities for Penrith Council to gain ideas on how to tackle issues we face in Penrith from other cities that are in a similar position. The Partnership also aligns closely with several focus areas and actions identified within our recently adopted ‘Sustainability Strategy 2015’. The Partnership will provide major benefits to Council, complementing our participation in the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, which focuses on climate change mitigation and adaptation, and our participation in the Resilient Sydney Program.